German Citizens Still Imprisoned in Russia Despite Large-Scale Exchange

As of today, dozens of German citizens remain in Russian prisons, according to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), following a large-scale exchange between Belarus, Russia, and the West.

The number of Germans held in Russian prisons is described as a "small two-digit number," the MFA told the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, without specifying the charges against these individuals.

Over the past two years, Russian authorities have refused direct consular access for citizens with dual Russian and German citizenship, including prison visits. The German Foreign Ministry stated, "Russian authorities treat individuals with dual citizenship exclusively as Russian citizens."

The ministry emphasizes that they make active efforts in each individual case to ensure consular access to German citizens.

"Can these persons hope to participate in future exchanges? It is absolutely unclear," states Der Tagesspiegel.

According to the UN, hundreds of people in Russia are imprisoned on false or politically motivated charges, with the number of such prisoners ranging from 700 to 1,372.